Just read the bloody uniform policy!!!

[flingoringo]

I've just read an article about a school in Gateshead where lots of kids were sent home or out in isolation on day one of term because they were wearing the wrong shoes. The offending shoes seem to be mainly a Vivienne Westwood ballet flat (with a big silver VW emblem on the front) and a Nike walking boots. Lots of kids wearing the same, from yr7 to yr11.
Parents are up in arms, obviously. One mentions the CoL crisis so the need to scrimp and save to spend A HUNDRED QUID on the Nike shoes. One mum said her yr7 daughter won't be going back she's finding her a new school.

The school (taken over by an academy in 2019) says the policy is clear, plain black shoes with no logos. That they have done their best to help yr6 parents understand what was to be expected once on yr7.

Now I don't necessarily agree with schools being overly strict with uniform policy. But I do accept that I have to agree to follow the rules at the schools that I chose to send my kids to and if we chose not to then of course they'll be consequences.

AIBU to think it's it's completely ridiculous that this happens every bloody year?!

If parents find it too hard to follow those simple policies, I wonder how they manage to keep a job etc .

None of jobs i had cared about what i wore. Or they provided workwear themselves.

Because they are still fighting their own school days.battles, over and.over again,They never learn. this time sure that they are going to win.

I know that the thread has moved on a bit. The people I feel sorry for are those whose schools have extremely strict rules about shoes. Mainly because I booked an appointment at Clark’s in August and they had absolutely no school shoes in my son’s size (and one, extremely expensive, pair of games shoes). A friend at school had very large feet and the only shoes she could wear were Doc Martins. She’d have been screwed if the school had objected.

Why are you quoting my post from a year ago?

Surely in this instance you would just have spoken to the school in advance to explain the situation and get an exemption? I have orthotics and wide feet. Shoes are impossible for me as my orthotics don’t fit. So I have to live in trainers. I had to explain this to my employer before I started and they’ve been totally understanding.

at my daughters school they aren’t supposed to wear anything under their polo shirts but the school jumper aggravated the eczema on her elbows. One quick call to the school to explain and they made an adjustment where she could wear a long sleeved plain black top underneath They made a note on her record and that was it.

it’s just turning up and flouting the rules that’s causes most of the problems. If there is a legitimate issue there’s usually a compromise that can be made.

Some schools have totally lost the plot when it comes to uniform - so not picky over really trivial things, which is such a waste of time and just fosters resentment.
My dd has just started college for 6th form and it's so nice that she can go in her leggings and hoodie, which is comfortable for working and no one is nagging her about a tiny nose stud or the length of her skirt!

Yes, my 'smart casual' workplace that used to expect collars on men and would issue a shorts dispensation when the weather got stupidly hot; they don't care any more. Shorts, trainers, t-shirts - it's all fine. This stuff isn't preparing anyone for the world of work.

I disagree. My friend works in an office where they have to wear branded tops. Nursery staff are the same, so are NHS staff etc. There are lots of careers that require a uniform.

"There are lots of careers that require a uniform."

But not many where it is up to a capricious boss to decide if it is hot enough or cold enough for you to wear the summer or winter version of the uniform.

Not many where an employer can withhold pay or otherwise punish workers who wear a uniform which is 99% identical but cheaper https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-66812748

Not many which prevent workers from wearing coats or down jackets on top of the uniform when it's really cold

Not many which confiscate the coats of asthmatic employees, leaving them in the freezing cold, because they weren't the official, branded ones https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/school-bans-freezing-pupils-wearing-6485510

How do you think Americans and people of other uniform-free nationalities manage to adapt to uniforms at work after spending their entire lives up to working age in civvies?

Answer - easily.

You do not need to spend fourteen years in school practicing to wear a uniform in your eventual workplace.

@mathanxiety I was answering the post that said no one wears uniforms at work anymore but forgot to include their name

Kickers are £90

I had to buy Clarks white shoes which cost about £50ish because they were the only ones we managed to find without logos.
Sports Direct sold Adidas and Nike shoes at £20-30, very very similar, except the logos were too visible and therefore against school policy.

I understand the logic of not displaying expensive logos etc etc but it is quite paradoxical to have the unintended consequence of forcing families to spend more

Which people know when they choose to follow that career. Clearly you need specific clothes if you are a nurse.

But there are very few workplaces that require a blazer and tie, or a specific length of skirt, or specific brand of particular black shoe.

You do not need to spend fourteen years in school practicing to wear a uniform in your eventual workplace

But (some) MNers think you have to practice everything. You need to do homework at 5, so you can do it at 15. You need to be dragged around supermarkets at 2, so you can shop for yourself at 22. And, you have to wear an incredibly strict uniform in case you become a Crown Court judge.